I didn’t really get into the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series until just a few years back. I’d always heard about how fun they were, but I just never got around to it. I finally decided to give Yakuza Kiwami a shot and was instantly hooked. Several years later, and I’ve played through most of the mainline games and several of the spin-offs.
I put just south of 100 hours into Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (PS5) around this time last year, and it was a runner-up for my personal game of the year. So I was happy to go back to the world in this side story, which provides some backstory/context for the events of that game and the first Like a Dragon. You again take control of the Yakuza series protagonist, Kiryu Kazama, and explore the post-Yakuza 6 events and see just what Kiryu has been up to.
Rather than the turn-based RPG mechanics of the Like a Dragon games, the gameplay here is a return to the action-oriented style of the other Yakuza entries. Kiryu has two different styles he can utilize on the fly, with the new “agent” style allowing the use of various gadgets, while the other classic style is the typical brawler. The system isn’t really changed from the earlier games, but it’s still as fun and satisfying as ever when you’re laying the smackdown on various street gangs. My criticism is that the system isn’t particular deep, and you can likely button-mash (to the point of cramping) your way through most fights, spending your upgrade points on increasing HP/attack, rather than investing into the various combo systems.
The narrative is interesting, and remains a high point of the series. I enjoyed seeing the various situations Kiryu became involved in, and several of the characters are well-written. I played utilizing the Japanese audio, and found the voice acting remained well done (personal preference, but I find voice acting in most English dubs to be terrible). I also enjoy how over-the-top the game can be; by contrast, I just finished the Prime series based on the first game, and was utterly disappointed by how serious the adaptation was. The narratives thrive on being ridiculous, and this game continues that trend. I also love how utterly bombastic the boss fights can be in these; they truly feel important and everything ends with a bang.
What sets these games apart, aside from the writing and settings, is that there is so much optional side content to do. You can play various minigames (including some classic Sega arcades) and find optional collectibles. This is a staple of the series, and I’m happy that it remained in what is essentially a side-story. Most of the mainline games can take upwards of 40-60 plus hours just to get through the main story beats, with another 20-40 hours of additional content. This game, by contrast, took me about 30 hours to complete; if I maxed out the additional content, you could probably add another 10 hours or so. Still, it’s an impressive amount of content; there are so many games at double the price that offer a fraction of the content.
If you’re a fan of the Yakuza/Like a Dragon games, this is a great side-game that offers a lot of bang for your buck (though understanding it is not a “full” game like the others). It’s a lot like “comfort food,” in that it doesn’t really do anything new, but you’re playing it because you enjoy the series as a whole. If you’re not really a fan, then this game isn’t likely to make a believer of you. If you’ve been on the fence about these games, I would highly suggest starting with Yakuza 0 and/or Like a Dragon. Overall, this is another solid entry in a fantastic series.
Josh is a life long gamer, from the days of playing Super Mario Bros. on the NES to plowing through the RPGs of today. He enjoys taking games of all eras and can be found on X @agentclarke001.
